Coldean

Coldean is a suburb of the English city of Brighton and Hove. Located in the northeast corner of the urban area, it was developed by Brighton Corporation in the 1950s as one of several postwar council estates necessitated by the acute housing shortage in the area after World War II. The estate occupies a deep valley on the historic boundary of Falmer and Stanmer parishes. The few farm buildings and cottages in existence from the 18th century were supplemented in the 1930s by a pub and a few privately built houses; but it was only from 1950, and especially after the area's incorporation into the Borough of Brighton two years later, that the construction of houses and other facilities began in earnest. Churches, a school, a library and shops were all provided; regular bus services were started; and the development of the nearby universities of Brighton and Sussex later in the 20th century prompted other changes, including the construction of a large area of student accommodation. Coldean is characterised by low-density housing, much of it semi-detached and most now owner-occupied, with roads following the contours of the landscape. The deep valley, its steep sides mainly wooded and unsuitable for development, "[give] the impression of an area isolated from the rest of Brighton"; and the area has the character of "a quiet garden suburb". Coldean was originally a deep, steep-sided, undeveloped valley split between the parishes of Falmer and Stanmer, with Hollingbury to the west, Wild Park and the Hollingbury Hill to the southwest, Stanmer Park and Stanmer village to the northeast and Falmer village to the east. Lewes Road, formerly part of the A27 trunk road, ran along the southern edge of the valley, and some cottages and farm buildings associated with Coldean Farm were clustered near it. Prior to its development as a housing estate, it was known as "Cold Dean" or "Colddean"; the 1938 Ordnance Survey map shows "Colddean Lane" extending a short distance northwards from Lewes Road then continuing as a track, and "Colddean Wood" to the east on the side of the valley.